Born and raised in Texas, she “grew up all over” before landing in Tyler with her family when she was 12.

Her mother is in psychology, while her father runs a business called Mouse Club, which is similar to E-piphany. She grew up with an older brother.

Ms. Parker said it was interesting to have a psychologist as a mother.

“We have had many papers written on us,” she said with a laugh. “Needless to say I’m pretty analytical now. It’s impacted my business

in a positive way.”

She attended The Brook Hill School and Robert E. Lee High School. At 19, she went to work for her father.

“I thought I wanted to go into forensic science or something crazy like that,” Ms. Parker said. “Then my dad took me to work one day. I’ve always believed in this program, this business model.”

She spent two years marketing her father’s business in Tarrant County before returning to Tyler and accepting a Southside Bank position.

“I had been working for commission only,” she said. “I was searching for more stability. As a single mom, I wanted more benefits, like health insurance.”

At Southside, she worked as a retail banker.

“I liked it there,” Ms. Parker said. “I excelled in sales.”

She spent three years in banking, first with Southside and then with Austin Bank. She then spent three years as a marketer in the home-health industry but was laid off.

Ms. Parker returned to working with her dad in the Houston area before returning to Tyler, where she did work here and there and went to school.

In September 2011, she launched E-piphany.

“I wanted to make money and do something I really believe in,” she said.

E-piphany teaches technology enrichment classes for children ages 2 to 5 in private schools and preschools. The goal is for students to have fun while learning. E-piphany also has a summer camp.

Ms. Parker said the weekly 30-minute classes are taught in small groups.

Her favorite part of her work is seeing kids understand what they are being taught.

“It’s kind of a feeling,” she said. “I named it E-piphany because I really like that a-ha moment that kids have.”

Ms. Parker has a 13-year-old daughter, Kirsten.

In her free time, Ms. Parker enjoys going bowling, watching movies and volunteering.

Most subjects for this column come from business cards randomly pulled from a briefcase. Send cards to Managing Editor Brian Pearson at 410 W. Erwin St., Tyler, Texas, 75702, or email him at bpearson@tylerpaper.com